


Five Times Ben Was Thankful for Chris

by ashisfriendly



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Male Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-01
Updated: 2013-09-01
Packaged: 2017-12-25 06:21:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/949699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashisfriendly/pseuds/ashisfriendly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A five times fic about Ben and Chris' friendship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Five Times Ben Was Thankful for Chris

Unlike his usual mornings, Ben didn’t wake up to the loud knocking on his door. His new partner, Chris, would usually be at the door, asking if he wanted to take a light jog with him. Ben’s answer was always no, muffled through the door, but after two months maybe Chris got the hint. Either way, this morning felt different and Ben couldn’t help but feel slightly disappointed, left behind by a man that was his constant in this profession of spontaneity.

Ben’s morning was slow and it felt unusual not to expect Chris to knock on his door. It was a Saturday, but Chris liked to get breakfast together, or at least a cup of coffee if Ben seemed unenthused. Their job didn’t accrue friendships or familiar activities, only the company of each other and late night television alone.

Showered, dressed, and finally at some capacity to face the world, Ben slipped on his shoes and swiped his keys off of the stale dresser. When he opened the door, the wafting smell of cleaning product and the faint sound of a beat up radio hit him. Yes, he was still in a hotel in Muncie, Indiana. And, unsurprisingly, his New York Times wasn’t laying by his door. He sighed and began his walk to the front desk, to complain again about the lack of newspaper this morning.

The elevator doors opened and Ben saw Chris, standing by the front desk. He was wearing his usual jogging attire, and his headphones rested on his neck. He looked concerned, which for Chris meant a smaller smile and the light in his eyes a little dimmer. Ben took a few cautious steps to ease himself into the tension.

“Judy, you know I think you’re an amazing front desk manager, possibly the best in all of Muncie, Indiana.” Chris sounded disappointed but his admiration for Judy was sincere. “But I put the order in weeks ago.” Chris sighed. “And on top of the newspaper debacle, I’m just... a little miffed.”

Ben’s eyebrows rose at the mention of a newspaper. Chris didn’t get a newspaper like Ben ordered every morning. Judy apologized, her cheeks rosy, and picked up the phone.

“Chris?” Ben interrupted.

Chris turned around and met Ben with an excited smile.

“Ben Wyatt! Happy birthday!”

Ben’s eyes widened as Chris hugged him. Right, of course, it was his birthday.

“I hope you got enough sleep, it’s practically noon, but, a rested body and soul is deserved on your 26th birthday.” Chris hugged him again and this time Ben returned it.

“Chris.” Judy’s voice pulled Chris away. “The earliest I can have it is three o’clock.”

Chris nodded. “Well, that will be amazing, thank you. Ah, but the newspaper.” Judy walked into a back room and came back with a rolled up copy of The New York Times. She handed it to Chris who pointed at her. “You’re the best, Judy Stevenson.”

She smiled and blushed, just like most women Chris interacted with. Chris turned and the two men started towards their rooms. Chris pushed the paper into Ben’s hands.

“Happy birthday,” he said again with just as much gusto as the first time.

Ben grinned. “Thank you.” They walked in silence up the stairs, Chris taking two steps at a time. “What was all that other stuff about... with Judy?”

“I’m terribly sorry it will not be here for lunch time, but I did order you one of those awful, unhealthy calzones you love from the Italian restaurant down the street. I put in an order with Judy weeks ago to have it for you.” Chris tapped the newspaper in Ben’s hands. “With the newspaper.” Chris shrugged and sighed sadly. “Unfortunately everything is a little late.” He frowned for a moment, his grin coming back quickly.

Ben stopped at his door and Chris stopped at his own right across. The road had been a weird place for him. Everywhere they went, Chris was adored and Ben was hated. Ben always felt like Chris couldn’t leave well enough alone. He pounded on Ben’s door every morning for a jog, offered him herbal smoothies every afternoon when Ben reached for a second coffee, and Chris was always there. Ben was starting to think that Chris knew about the road better than he did and at some point, maybe on his 26th birthday, Ben needed to start listening to him.

“Hey, I know the calzone will be here in only a few hours but I’m hungry. Want to get some late breakfast?” Ben asked, turning on his heels.

Chris turned around and snapped his fingers before pointing at Ben’s chest. “Brunch! I love it.”

//

“Come on, buddy!”

If Chris opened his mouth one more time, Ben was going to turn around and run as fast as he could back to the hotel. Or back to his apartment in Indy. Or back to his boyhood bedroom in Partridge. Far away from Chris.

Chris has offered to take Ben on a jog for years. Every morning, in fact, except for holidays and the rare weeks that they spent in Indianapolis. Ben always refused, and with every step and struggled breath he was beginning to remember why. Chris was a great partner, a good friend, but this was torturous.

Last week they were out, eating at a restaurant per a city hall employee’s recommendation. When Ben ordered a salad instead of fries with his burger, Chris was delighted but suspicious. Ben had two beers in him and forgot to never tell Chris about any slight flaws in his health. Ben let it slip that his most recent trip to the doctor’s revealed that he had high blood pressure. Chris was shocked and hurt and Ben could have sworn he held back tears.

Before Ben’s elevated blood pressure, Chris only asked for him to join the morning jog. Now he asked Ben three times a day. And when Ben felt a little winded after climbing four flights of stairs when the elevator broke at their hotel, he decided to give in to Chris.

“Do you need to hydrate?” Chris asked.

Ben groaned and felt every part of his knee crunch together as he pounded the pavement. Chris asked again and Ben shouted a ‘no.’

“Chris,” Ben yelled, between gasps, “I hate this.” Ben stopped, breathing in and out carefully, his hands resting on his waist.

Chris jogged back to Ben, completely fine. Ben felt angry at his lack of sweat because Ben felt drenched and disgusting. Chris put a hand on Ben’s shoulder.

“We can walk.”

Ben really just wanted to lay on the grass in front of the rundown movie theater and take a nap. But Ben sighed and nodded, taking one of the rare compromises that Chris had to offer.

Eventually Ben could jog with Chris every morning, even if that meant Chris had to keep a slower pace so they could go through the day’s to-do list together.

//

Ben was exhausted.

He dragged his feet along the hideous carpet of the hotel, his eyes hardly able to stay open with each half hearted step. This was their first day in Southport, a small town with heaps of problems. Chris disappeared around 7, which was fine for Ben, he got more work done alone when it came to paperwork. Chris always needed to take meditation breaks or grind up herbs and smell them for some insane reason. Two hours later and no hope for an answer to Southport’s budget problem, Ben decided to go home.

His eyes stung as he searched his wallet for his hotel key. When he slid the key in, he heard someone coming down the hallway. He looked and found Chris, disheveled, slow moving, and making eye contact with only the floor.

Ben didn’t have time to weigh his options, to choose between his new bed or a conversation with Chris, because he immediately spoke up.

“Chris?” Ben asked.

Chris looked up and Ben was startled by the amount of tears that welled in Chris’ eyes and had already fallen down his cheeks.

“Chris? Are you okay? Is everything alright?” Ben was speaking fast and uneven.

He watched Chris take a huge breath. “I am afraid the lovely Lily Mullen and I are no longer romantically involved.”

Ben’s heart twisted. Of course, Lily. Ben didn’t date much because this job hardly called for it. He had a girl he went back to for flings and dates in Indianapolis and he was involved casually with a girl from Lafayette but their break up was not only mutual but expected. Ben hadn’t seen Chris seriously date anyone until Lily. Chris went on many first dates, but Lily was a string of dates that turned serious that had now turned into heartbreak.

His hotel key abandoned, Ben hugged his friend. He let him cry into his shoulder and Ben tried to console him but he never was very good at using words or helping Chris. If Ben was honest with himself, it was clear that Ben hardly helped Chris directly. Chris was helpful, Ben was selfish.

So Ben hugged Chris in the hallway for an hour. And let Chris fall asleep on his bed leaving Ben with only the broken office chair in the corner of his hotel room. And he went on two jogs the next morning. Because Ben didn’t know what he was doing but Chris didn’t cry about Lily ever again.

//

The knock on his front door scared him. Ben was reading the back of a cereal box, eating the dry cereal by the handful. He dusted himself off and jogged through the house. He saw Chris through the glass and his stomach dropped. He didn’t want to see Chris. He understood Chris’ actions and could have guessed them all before they happened from the moment he kissed Leslie.

Chris gave him a genuine smile and waved. Ben reluctantly opened the door and stepped aside for Chris to come in. Ben watched him, following his lead.

“I was just out for a run. But I lost motivation. And felt sad.” Chris said, turning around to face him. Ben just waited, not sure what to say, but when Chris started to speak again Ben spoke up.

“Look, Chris. I’m sorry you’re sad - wait, no - I’m not sorry you’re sad. I’m sorry that I don’t really have it in me to care right now.”

Chris looked at the floor. “I know.”

“You know what? What the hell do you know, Chris?” Ben didn’t expect to get so angry so fast. “Do you know the crap I had to go through with Leslie to face you last week and tell you everything? Do you know that I felt utterly miserable for months because I let her go? Do you know the trial killed us both? Do you know that I may have ruined Leslie’s career? Do you know that I am scared to death that she won't achieve everything she deserves because of everything we went through?” Ben took a breath before continuing. “You put me through fucking hell, Chris.” Ben knew he was being unfair, that all of these things weren’t Chris’ fault.

In fact none of it was. Ben knew how intergovernmental relationship worked. He kept calling it ‘Chris’ rule’ so he wouldn’t have to put any blame on himself. He still wasn’t putting it on himself, he was still being unfair, he was still placing his personal fears onto Chris. Chris was still trying to be helpful and Ben was still being selfish.

Chris blinked a few times and closed his eyes with a breath. He opened them and Ben felt startled by his eye contact.

“I’m sorry, Ben.”

Then Chris hugged him and absorbed all the blame he didn’t deserve.

//

“Hey buddy.” Chris strode up to Ben. “I saw you looking very concerned so I hurried over.” He explained.

Ben nodded and gave his friend a side glance of acknowledgement. Ben had been pacing a hallway, trying to rack his brain about where Leslie could be while simultaneously freaking out about his newest job offer.

“Should I get you some tea?” Chris asked.

Ben shook his head and kept pacing and Chris kept up with his stride. For minutes, they just paced together, Ben’s eyes glued to the floor and Chris making sure to be there for Ben’s inevitable break down.

It took ten minutes but it did happen.

“Where is Leslie, Chris?” Ben stopped and turned to Chris, eyes blazing, muscles clenched.

“Maybe-”

“She can’t lose. It’s not fair, she deserves this.” He started pacing again, but this time Chris stayed still. “If she loses it’s because I failed her.”

“That’s not true, you’ve done amazing. Everyone has. If she loses it’s because this town values the wrong things.”

Ben heard everything he said but didn’t let it sink in. He turned again and mumbled, “How am I supposed to do this in Washington? I can’t go to Washington.” Ben shook his head and stuffed his hands into his pockets. Chris kept watching him and Ben didn’t mind his stare.

Chris’ voice was calm as he asked, “Washington?”

Ben’s pace quickened. “Jen offered me a job in Washington to work on a congressional campaign.”

He saw the smile creep onto Chris’ face, gaining size with each of Ben’s strides.

“That’s wonderful news.” Ben was scared Chris would start crying. It was becoming harder and harder to guess when he would cry lately.

“Well, it’s not actually. I... I can’t go to Washington.”

“And why not?” Chris asked.

“Because I want to marry Leslie!” Ben’s voice bounced off the hallway walls and shook his core. He didn’t remember thinking those words but they slipped out of his mouth effortlessly. He noticed he had stopped pacing and he heard Chris sniff.

Ben looked up at him in time to see a tear fall down Chris’ cheek.

“Ben, a job working for your girlfriend, a job working in Pawnee, or a job working in Washington will not keep you from that.” Chris sniffed again and wiped his face quickly.

Ben smiled and nodded, his eyes falling back to the floor. He took a long breath and nodded again.

“I will marry her.”

“I know.”


End file.
